A Study on Prevalence of Pulmonary Thrombo Embolism in Bedridden Hospitalized Deaths-Autopsy based Study

Pulmonary embolism is a common, potential lethal condition and is the second commonest cause of sudden deaths in respiratory system after the sudden cardiac deaths. The most severe complication of venous thrombosis and is the most undiagnosed cause of death where no autopsy is performed. Thrombosis is the process of formation of solid mass in the blood circulation from the constituents of flowing blood and mass itself is called a thrombus. At times, the thrombus or its part may get dislodged and be carried along in the blood stream as an embolus to lodge in a distant vessel. The effect of pulmonary embolism depends, mainly, on the size of the occluded vessel, the number of emboli and the cardiovascular status of the victim. Occasionally a large embolus may get impacted at the bifurcation of the main pulmonary artery (Saddle Embolus) or may be found in the right ventricle or its outflow tract. Immobility of body parts due to various causes leads to reduced venous return and stasis because of decreased muscular massage of the leg veins resulting in thrombus formation in the deep veins of the legs. Even Prolonged sitting can lead to deep vein thrombosis. ⁽⁹⁾ Non lethal injury may end in death because of venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The victims of many forms of trauma are at risk from pulmonary thrombo embolism. Small emboli may break off and impact in more peripheral branches of the pulmonary arteries, sometimes causing pulmonary infarcts that may be precursors of a massive embolus that impacts in the major lung vessels and causes rapid death. At Autopsy such large emboli are readily visible and can usually be easily distinguished from a post mortem clot. The Study is prospective and seventy five hospitalized, bed ridden, medico legal cases (Road traffic Accidents and Burns cases) who have died suddenly during the course of the treatment in the hospital are taken for the study and Autopsy conducted to know the exact cause of death. The study showed significant findings of pulmonary thrombo embolism in the pulmonary vessels which caused sudden death.